Exploring Branding Narratives: Storytelling and Corporate Identity



“A great brand is a story that is never completely told” -Scott Bedbury, Starbucks

Branding is something that has always deeply fascinated me. From a young age, I remember going the grocery store and peering at personified goods gleaming in an open aisle. Evidently, one of the first things my parents taught me was that Coke and Pepsi were two very different things. Now that I am older, I realize that the fundamental difference between competitive cola products lies in how they each tell their story. 

Examining mission statements earlier in the program, we know that organizations have their own set of values, beliefs and ideals. How are these values and beliefs communicated? 

Branding is not about the look of perforated packages or elaborate logos, but about communication. Marketers and practitioners use tools (design, ingredients, logos, slogans, etc) to communicate value and to give life to a product or service. Encompassing all that a company is or does, branding tells a story which simplifies and unifies the message of an organization. 
  
 As an example, Becel is a brand that focuses on telling the story of heart health:
 
  •   Message: “Your heart is the center of your health... and everything that we do.”
  • Logo: Is in the shape of a heart and reflects heart health as a core value 
  •   Actions: Becel funds cardiovascular research and sponsors related charities  
    •   Tangible benefits: Non-hydrogenated product with zero trans fats 
    •  Intangible benefits: Feeling of health, compassion and care

Everything Becel does crafts a cohesive identity and creates value; branding tools allow Becel to communicate values and connect with a greater audience.

Because branding is tied to the value systems entrenched within an organization, it is of significant interest to public relations practitioners. Public relations specialists work to connect audiences and organizations, and how an organization chooses to communicate its message can influence this relationship. Brands that engage in ineffective communication can develop negative connotations that in turn must be mitigated. Public relations is about performance and perception, and thus those within the field must use tactics to build and develop brands cultures.
  
Coke and Pepsi may taste incredibly similar, but their organizations possess different values and communicate using a variety of different tactics and tools. Tied to separate value systems, the cola companies craft distinct corporate identities which align with polarizing audiences (tribes). Coke and Pepsi tell their story in a different way, and as such will never be the same.  

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